Komodo dragon attacks man

Komodo dragon attacks man

Postby JPWittstock » Mon May 24, 2010 5:23 pm

Indonesia - A Komodo dragon attacked an Indonesian man as he ate lunch at a building site on one of the giant lizards' protected island habitats, police said on Monday.

Construction worker Agustinus Jenaru, 20, was having a meal break when the powerful monitor, apparently attracted by the smell of food, crept up from behind and bit him on the arm, police official Mega Laksana Putra said.

"The man screamed for help. He put up a struggle and managed to free himself," Putra said.

There are no medical facilities on Rinca, a Komodo sanctuary in eastern Indonesia, so Jenaru was flown to hospital on Bali island, he said.

Until recently Komodos were believed to hunt with a "bite and wait" strategy using toxic bacteria in their saliva to weaken or kill their prey, before descending in numbers to feast.

But in 2005 researchers found that dragons' jaws are armed with highly sophisticated poison glands that can cause paralysis, spasms and shock through haemorrhaging.

The world's largest monitor lizard, Komodos can grow up to 3 metres and weigh up to 140kg. They are unique to a small group of islands in eastern Indonesia. - Sapa-AFP
JP WITTSTOCK
User avatar
JPWittstock
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 669
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:32 pm
Location: Durban, KZN

Re: Komodo dragon attacks man

Postby Bushviper » Mon May 24, 2010 5:57 pm

Well they should not have stopped feeding the komodo dragons. By feeding them they gained enough weight to breed more often and did not eat their own young as much so this would increase the population. Isn't that how we move them away from being critical endangered? Now it is illegal to feed the komodos.

Dont eat smelly foods in the island. They are attracted by carrion so I dont want to know what this guy was eating for lunch.
It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Those who are afraid to ask are ashamed of learning.
User avatar
Bushviper
Founder Member
 
Posts: 17358
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:02 am
Location: Pretoria

Re: Komodo dragon attacks man

Postby Redmachine » Mon May 24, 2010 9:44 pm

HaHaHa.
-BlE4g-
Can't imagine what he was eating.
HaHaHa,Do you know what happened to the guy?
Redmachine
SA Reptiles Member
 
Posts: 75
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:10 pm
Location: Kensington


Return to Asian Lizards

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests

cron